The last weekend of April in the Midwest is often cold and rainy. Not so in the spring of 1983. The setting was Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, home of the Drake relays. It was a gloriously warm sunny day. A day that marked my first experience of the Drake Relays. I was a freshman at Drake, running the 400 meter leg of the sprint medley. We made the finals and lined up against some of the best runners in the country. I left it all on the track that day and ran what ended up being the fastest quarter split I would ever run. Alabama won the race with the fastest time in the world that year. They also set a Drake record which still stands today. That was 23 years ago and I’ve been back almost every year since.

The Drake Relays has a long history and I would argue that the Drake Stadium is hallowed ground in the world of Track and Field. The first relays went off in 1910 in a snow storm. Since that time some of the greatest names in track history have thrilled relays fans. Jim Ryun, Bruce Jenner, Frank Shorter and Michael Johnson are just a few of the legends of track and field to compete at Drake.

Last year, Drake unveiled a newly renovated stadium and track making the Drake facility a truly world class venue. Drake has since been named the host of the 2007 Midwest NCAA Regional and the 2008 NCAA Championships. This was a great move by Drake making it the track and field mecca of the Midwest.

Drake Relays is a great place to compete and an even better place to watch some of the best collegiate and world class athletes up close and personal. The stadium holds about 18,000 spectators and its always sold out for the Saturday finals. Last year I marveled as my kids had the chance to high five Olympic Gold Medalist Jeremy Wariner as he did his victory lap after winning the 2oo meters. Its really amazing to see athletes of this caliber in such a great setting.

Drake Relays runs each year during the last weekend of April. Call the Drake Ticket office at 515 -271-3791 for more information.